Charley Hull, Michael Brennan and Lexi Thompson, Wyndham Clark shoot record 55s at Grant Thornton

NAPLES, Fla. – Lexi Thompson and Wyndham Clark shared the lead with Charley Hull and Michael Brennan on Friday, both teams managing just three pars in the scramble format as they each posted a 17-under 55 and set the scoring record in the Grant Thornton Invitational.

Scoring conditions were ideal at Tiburon Golf Club, and the format made this possible.

Brennan, who started the year on the PGA Tour of Americas and won the Bank of Utah Championship on an exemption, filled in for Daniel Berger. Brennan and Hull went 13 straight holes with birdie or eagle. They had to settle for pars on the 16th and 18th holes.

“It’s kind of funny because actually last week I was changing my swing and I came into Tuesday and I couldn’t even keep the ball on the planet. So I was actually pretty nervous today,” Hull said. “It actually worked out quite well.”

Thompson and Clark birdied or eagled nine of the last 10 holes, with the lone exception being the par-3 16th.

“I feel like we have similar games,” Clark said. “She hits the ball very far off the tee, and when one of us is in play we are significantly ahead of the competition and we have our advantage there.”

The 55 broke the record by one at the mixed team event that started three years ago.

They had a two-shot lead over Lauren Coughlin and Andrew Novak. Rose Zhang and Michael Kim, Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy, and Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup were three behind.

The format shifts to foursomes for Saturday, the most difficult of the formats because there is only one golf ball in play as players take turns hitting. The final round on Sunday is modified fourballs.

Defending champions Jake Knapp and Patty Tavatanakit were 7 under through six holes and played the last seven holes at 5 under. They had a 59 and were four shots behind.